Steel Guitar tuner

Larry Grigsby · From: Eden, North Carolina

What is the recommend turner for steel guitar?

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

My recommendation is...Your Ears....Get a basic tuner that will show the range of notes for your steel guitar.
That could be anything from a simple basic chromatic Snark to one of the high end Petersons. Then learn to find your root notes and tune everything against that.

Example: In an E tuning, E is the root, so 3rds. G#'s, are flatted. Nearly everything else, 4ths, 5ths, 7ths and unisons can be tuned straight up on a meter calibrated to A440 or 442. Then let your ears tell you what needs to be tweaked.

If one doesn't know and understand the intervals between notes and chords, then one needs to learn them to be a competent educated musician to mitigate those discrepancies and limitations IMO.

First though, you have to get your instrument's base root tuning in tune with your environment, be it a band, sound track, biab or whatever you're playing along with.

Yes, there are electronic tuners and charts that someone else has devised for you and they are OK to good, but one needs to understand how to hear and relate one's tuned instrument to one's environment. You may sound great with an instrument tuned to itself, but maybe not so hot with a band etc.

Also, with pedal steel, the guitar is constantly re-tuning itself as you play it. Using certain pedal and or pedal/lever combinations, the root changes from one position/note/string to another and it's just not possible to be in perfect tune in all positions. So, it's important to learn how to play in tune as well.

After some 40 yrs. of playing, I have found there are many variables that come into play interacting with different players, instruments, sources etc., so I prefer to use my own ears rather than relying on someone else' definition of what "in tune" is. You may feel free to disregard all this at your discretion. My purpose is only to try and help players become better musicians.

Roy Carroll · From: North of a Round Rock

Peterson Strobe Is absolutely the best. It has all of the tunings installed, straight up, Newman's tempered and Emmons push pull.
_________________
Just north of the Weird place, south of Georgetown

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I agree on the Peterson. But also learn to hear the intervals. If you have a Petersen or another that can be used inline, you can hear the notes through your amp.

Being able to tune by ear is a big plus, especially if your tuner goes down, or is left home. Pretty much every time I gig, it's too loud to tune by ear.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I still like the Boss TU-12.
I myself am not into looking at a Strobe at all for tuning purposes, but I see alot of them in my travels.
Generally speaking, I can tune just fine by ear, but I don't want to bug anyone in the band or the audience or behind the bar by audibly tuning my Steel.

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: